blue sky, white snow & green forests
by MrBill
The weather in Garmisch-Partenkirchen can be very unpredictable. It can change quite a bit from the morning until the afternoon. In general, you will find better weather and clearer skies in the morning, and then it may cloud up and rain in the afternoon. Best is to go hiking or skiing early in the day, and then if the weather gets worse, you will have used the best part of the day. However, many days, it is gray and cloudy in the valley, at 850 meters, but bright, blue sky up at 1350-1750 meters, above the clouds. You can never generalize, but best to go up there and see for yourself.
THE ZUGSPITZE
by truus_s
The southernmost region of Germany is part of the northern Alps, a mountainous area ranging from hills to mountains. The highest mountain in Germany is the "Zugspitze", the top of which is 2962 meters or 9717 feet above sea level.
Stepping out at the top of the cable railway you will find the weather station of the Zugspitze and of course, some restaurants offering you the opportunity to sit down for a moment and enjoy a meal and a drink.
If the weather is good you will have a wonderful view of the mountains and peaks of the Bavarian and the Austrian Alps.
It is a walker's paradise in this beautiful mountainous region, with walks along valleys , over plateaus and to the summits.
On the green slopes and mountain pastures cows can be seen grazing during the summer and they seem oblivious to the nature lovers passing by.
The Stepberg Alm - 1853 m
by MrBill
WE did get one excellent hike in Garmisch to the Stepberg Alm, which was a steep ascent at a very quick hour and forty-five minute pace, straight-up. This only confirmed to me that I was not in great shape when it comes to hiking. It was my first real hike this summer, and I really noticed it in my legs, despite the swimming. As a matter of fact, I swam a lot before I left, and I sure felt the tiredness in my legs on the steep ascent. The good news was that my injured knee gave me no problem on the way down, despite having forgotten my tensor bandage, which I normally wear. However, I used poles on the less steep descent and was careful just in case.
You do not have to do it with this intensity, but you should be in good overall cardiovascular condition, and the path can be steep, windy, and if wet, slippery.
The Stepberg Alm is one of my favorite hikes around Garmisch. It is normally about a 4-hour tour for us, five for most, but we did it in around 3-hours last week. Not bad. Actually we cut an hour off the bottom bit by driving up to the drop-off parking zone. Cheaters, I know, but we know the bottom section so well, and it is flat and boring. The Stepberg Alm itself has been renovated this year. It is bigger, there is a larger inside area, and they have installed indoor plumbing. There used to be only outhouses. Other than that, thankfully, they did not ruin the charm of the hut. I am posting pictures of the Stepberg Alm on my Garmisch pages this afternoon. So you can check them out. I did not take too many pictures, but will post what I have.
The Wank
by antistar
Being an Englishman it is very hard for me to visit, let alone write about, a mountain called Wank without giggling like a naughty schoolboy. Travelling on the Wank train, eating at the Wank house, and seeing a sign for the incredulous 1780 meter Wank was just too much. Apart from the puerile attraction of climbing the Wank, the mountain itself offers spectacular views of the town below, and seems to be the perfect height to view the entire town in one, without being so far away that you can't make out any detail.
You travel to the top on the Wankbahn, a gondola ropeway (cable car) that takes about 15 minutes and costs 16 euros return. The journey is fun in itself, and there are great views on the way up. Because it is a gondola system you are likely to get a cabin all to yourself, rather than getting packed like sardines on the Zugspitze aerial tramway. You can also stop off half way up if you want to take your time. The more energetic can also walk up or down.
The Wankbahn station is on the far side of Partenkirchen and not easy to find. I had a map and still managed to wander all over the place. It's vaguely signposted, but I constantly found myself at forks in the road that could have gone anywhere. Basically head down Bahnhofstrasse past the Town Hall in the direction of the white Wallfahrtskirche St Anton in the forest on the hill. Take a left down Philosophen Weg (a dirt path through the trees) and stay on the level until you see signs pointing up to the Wankbahn station.
The fairytale King, King Ludwig II of Bavaria
by devjam
In the region of Garmisch-Partenkirchen you will find Castle Linderhof. One of three fairytale castles built by our best known King, Ludwig II of Bavaria.
Linderhof was built as a hunting residence but was in the beginning supposed to be the 2nd Versaille. Because of there was not enough space between the mountains he decided to built a hunting residence.
His best known castle is Neuschwanstein. Disney Land/Florida has got a copie of this magnificient piece of architecture.
The third but nver finished castle is, what should have been a bigger any better Versaille, Herrenchiemsee. It's situated on the "Gentlemen Island" (Herreninsel) on the lake called Chiemsee. If you like fairytales or castles that remind you of the "knight on his horse" you really have to go see Neuschwanstein and the other castles.
Sign in with Facebook
Zugspitze
Sandy and the Cows
christof & friend
Eibsee-Irina&Asslan
